The National Network For Fair Trade in India

Exploring e-marketing avenues for Fair Trade products: FTF-I

As informed earlier, under Business Development Services for members, FTF-I has partnered with Ethniq Desi to extend e-marketplace to its members. Ethniq Desi is an online platform for curated Indian ethnic fashion for women, started by a group of women Entrepreneurs from IT background who are passionate about trying new things using technology. The platform has been started to provide a good market reach for the products made by the artisans, weavers, and organisations working at grass root level. The platform deals in traditional women wear-saris, jewelry, scarves/dupattas/stoles and readymade blouses.

Ethniq Desi and FTF-I are equally excited about this partnership that aims to create a lot of consumer awareness about Fair Trade, leading to enhanced visibility and markets for Fair Trade products. We have taken this step in order to provide global platform for the products made by local artisans and to increase their market reach in the competitive world.

It was decided that Ethniq Desi will create a space for FTF-I members under Fair Trade India Brand. Details of the partnership were discussed and finalized. FTF-I will share a detailed write up about Fair Trade to be uploaded on the portal. Ms Meenu and Ms Ipsita will work together to create stories of the artisan communities producing, to go along with the products that will be showcased and sold over the portal. The Ethniq team promised to run a focused marketing campaign to create awareness about Fair Trade among the consumers.

Ethniq Desi team examining the productsProducts from MESH

Several members had expressed interest in being a part of this partnership. Hence, an interactive session was organised in the afternoon for all Delhi-based members who had expressed interest in selling their products through the e-marketplace. The participants included MESH, The Child Trust and Literacy India (Indha products) and JKSMS, Rajasthan. All the participants displayed their products to team Ethniq Desi.

The session aimed at discussing and guiding the participants for the pilot phase of this program. Ethniq Desi team shared the process of showcasing products over the e-marketplace. They said that they see a lot of potential in this partnership but it’s success depended on how the participants showcase their products on the portal. It is very important to upload high quality pictures of the products, clicked as per the specifications shared by the Ethniq team. Also, while showcasing products, it is very important to keep the customer preferences & market trends in mind, while keeping the prices competitive. The participants were requested to keep the pictures realistic so that consumers receive the exact product that is shown on the portal. Participants were advised against editing pictures over photoshop to make the products look more attractive. A brief write-up of the product should also be shared along with the pictures.

Products from Jan Kala Sahitya Manch Sanstha

The product packaging and dispatch process was also discussed in details. Once a product is sold over the marketplace, the organization must pack it immediately, following the packaging specifications of Ethniq Desi, and keep it ready to be picked up by the Ethniq Logistics partner. Participants were advised to build in the cost of packaging in the prices they quote to Ethniq. All costs for delivering the products to the consumer will be borne by Ethniq Desi. The team requested the participants to keep their patience as the product might not sell immediately after being uploaded on the portal. Ethniq Desi team will do marketing to promote the products. The participants were also requested to hold on to the Ethniq inventory for at least 15-20 days, once the products are uploaded on the portal.

Mr Mallikarjuna Iytha, President, FTF-I suggested that FTF-I could run theme based campaigns over Ethniq Desi portal, especially during the festival season. The theme could be finalized and shared with the Ethniq team at least one month before the launch of the campaign, for them to market it well. The suggestion was welcomed by all participants and team Ethniq and it was decided to launch the first campaign in September.

It was a fruitful meeting with a lot of hope; Ms Meenu concluded the meeting wishing all participants a great success for the pilot phase of this program.